Journey to Forever
by ZellaPanther
Summary: ((A story started in the presence of wacky friends in the wee hours of the mornin'.)) Sarah inadvertantly prays by the light of a Wish Flame Candle. Who answers her calls, torments her dreams. Reviews are welcome!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: That's right, I own them all!! *maniacal laughter*  
  
Welcome to the windmills of my mind. If you're going to sue me, you have entirely too much time on your hands.  
  
A/N: All right, I dedicate this to Lizzi and Jen, who breathed down my neck as I wrote chapter 1, and threaten me with bodily harm if I don't continue. I also dedicate this to Jordan's frog. 'Nuff said.  
  
The flicker of a tall candle reflected off of a tearstained face; a weakened glimmer on a face that used to glow with youth and hope.  
  
Eyes were sad orbs of muted moonbeams, dark from a thousand tears cried, and a million dreams long since forgotten. They glimmered in their shadows of lost innocence and the whisper of imminent mortality.  
  
"Hear my prayers," a raspy voice whispered. "Please... help me in my journey. Save me from my weaknesses, and deliver me from the hell on earth I have created. Just... just take me away from the nightmare, and bring me to a dream..." She closed her eyes and concentrated, hoping her wishes would not fall un-deaf ears.  
  
With a renewed vengeance, and the strength to get her through the day, Sarah blew out the tiny flame and watched the disappearing smoke for a moment before standing. She gathered her coat, fixed her makeup, and with one long glance back to her tiny apartment and the candle that still stood at the center of the room, she sighed, and closed the door behind her.  
  
Far off, the scent of perfumed smoke reached the acute senses of someone. Someone who heard the prayers. Someone who was not a God. But....  
  
The flame sputtered back into existence in Sarah's humble apartment. And the one least likely to answer a prayer, or grant anything near to a dreamworld other than his own opened his eyes and smiled. And the smile was almost mortal.  
  
Much later that evening, Sarah stumbled into her apartment, exhausted and disappointed. She was amazed to find, as she tripped into her kitchen, that she was too tired to even be depressed. Perhaps that would set in, come morning.  
  
But for now, she was content to simply wander out to the tiny balcony attached to her apartment and look down onto the street below her. A few couples walked down the sidewalk, arms entwined, stopping to share the occasional sappy kiss, before continuing on their way. Shaking her head, Sarah spun on her heel and stepped back inside to unearth her bottle of wine, along with a coffee mug. In all my humbled finery... she thought to herself, and poured the persimmon liquid into the cup.  
  
She strolled idly from the kitchen to the bedroom, where she wrapped herself in a bulky, soft cream-colored sweater, and then downed the rest of her wine. Special occasion, she told herself, and walked across the apartment again to refill her mug.  
  
The cupboards yielded nothing else to drown her sorrows in, so Sarah contented herself to collapse on the tiny chair across from the balcony and stare into the blank night sky. Even the stars seemed to dim in honor of her repeated defeat.  
  
Soon, however, the wind began to whip through even her thickest sweater, so Sarah rose once more and pushed shut the glass, latched it shut, and walked back to her chair feeling as though she had utterly barricaded herself from the world. Perhaps it's better that way... People seem to have been my problem most of the way through life; maybe if I isolate myself from mankind for some extended period of time...  
  
She amused herself with thoughts of total disappearance for awhile, before she looked down and noticed that her candle was lit. She raised her eyebrows and dropped to her knees, bending closer to examine the light in question.  
  
"How did you manage to stay lit through a whole afternoon and open windows in the dead of winter?" she asked, and rolled her eyes. That's right Sarah, talk to a ball of wax. Are you expecting it to answer?  
  
"Well, I've never personally heard it talk, but I'll leave investigations on the matter up to you," A familiar voice cut into her thoughts.  
  
Her eyes widened, and she spun around, but was presented with nothing more than shadows. Turning back slowly, she thought at whatever was there. Who are you?  
  
"Oh, you know who I am."  
  
A figment of my mind created by alcohol.  
  
"No..."  
  
That voice was entirely too amused, but at the same time smoothly disinterested.  
  
Where are you?  
  
"So many questions for such a little girl. All right, if you truly wish to see me again... do just that."  
  
Do what?  
  
"If you truly want to see me, and have your prayer be answered, you'll understand."  
  
Damn you... she paused and then dropped her jaw with the realization. Only one creature in all of Creation had the power to grant wishes on verbal requests...  
  
"I wish to see my intruder."  
  
"Turn around."  
  
"You're not there. I just looked."  
  
"Foolish girl. Still so dependant on the barriers of the physical world. Turn around."  
  
Slowly this time, Sarah rose from the crouch she had been in and turned, only to be face to face with none other than the face she longed to forget. 


	2. Take My Hand

Chapter 2, Journey to Forever  
  
A/N: Naturally, Chapter 2 written at the House O' Lizzi, at one in the morning, after the bottle (The Peachiness!) is empty and Good Music is playing. At the moment, Lizzi is behind me sniging Evanescence. Lexa is online with me, and I'm actually not dead tired. Most of this chapter is dialogue, which switches off from last chapter, and will again in Chapter 3. Enjoy it y'all!! Review if you must. Positive reviews will be praised, critisism will be noted, flames will be used to laugh my ass off at when I get home and check my mail....   
  
Dedicated to: I dedicate this chapter to Lexa, for being random and awesome and having a good voice, god damn her, and having the good grace and caffeine to be on this late at night. Put the Spoon down...   
  
"Holy Shit."   
  
"How very lyrical." Jareth raked his gaze over her, and she backed up self consciously. And out of fear.  
  
"I didn't call you."  
  
"Oooooh, but you did," Jareth answered smoothly. rubbing his gloved hands together. "You lit the Wish Flame Candle."   
  
"The What?!"   
  
"And you used to be so glib, so verbally enhanced when you weren't complaining about unfairness." He paused and sighed dramatically. "The Wish Flame Candle. Black, tall and tapered. Has a tendeny to grant wishes in the MOST delightful way."   
  
"Delightful for WHO!?" Sarah cried violently, lurching forward.   
  
"Delightful for Whom, my darling Sarah," Jareth corrected softly, and took a step forward. "Now, my Queen, I believe you had wants you felt should be attended to?"   
  
"Not. By You." Sarah stepped backwards again, gritting her teeth and pulling her sweater more tightly around her form.   
  
"Beggars cannot be choosers, midear. Take my hand."   
  
Sarah froze, and stared blankly at the long fingers extended towards her, eyes stuck somewhere between shock and mingling horror. "What..."   
  
"Take my hand, and I'll grant your wish."   
  
"Why should I believe you?"   
  
"What reason have I ever given you not to?" He took another step forward, and Sarah moved around behind her countertop, shielding part of her from view.   
  
"You took my brother away."   
  
"You asked it of us."   
  
"I didn't Mean it!"   
  
Jareth grinned, calmly enough to be maniacal. "Ahhh, but how were we to know that? You spoke the words, and we were at your beck and call."   
  
"You Stole my brother from his crib, and then refused to give him back--"   
  
"You never said you wanted him back. We weren't there to babysit. We made a bargain." Jareth reached his arm out further. "Let's not be late."   
  
"We didn't make a bargain," Sarah replied, ignoring the hand. "You took words that I said out of anger and twisted them."  
  
"You were quite specific, if I recall."   
  
"You're wrong." Sarah took a deep breath, not liking how high pitched her voice had suddenly become. *I escaped him once, I can certainly do it again. I'm in my own home, he has no advantage...*  
  
"I am seldom wrong."   
  
His voice brought Sarah back from her reverie, and she pulled back from the counter when she realized he had moved forward to face her. Wicked eyes took in deep brown ones. Chaos just beneath the surface of a brown eye, evil intentions swirling with unnatural ice blue in the other.   
  
"You were wrong with me."  
  
Jareh narrowed his eyes for a moment, mask of indifference slipping slightly. Then he opened his mouth. "Ahh, but was I really wrong? You called me back."   
  
"I didn't call you back!"   
  
"You didn't specify, and I happened to answer. Next time, set down some rules, foolish girl." He leaned across the counter, white hair shining and pale face glowing like a nightmarish memory, back to haunt her with merciless words.   
  
"I'm getting impatient, Sarah."   
  
"You were BORN impatient," Sarah snapped back, and immediatly took a step back, trying to look cruel as well.   
  
Jareth quirked a small half smile, bordering on a smirk, and stepped cleanly around the counter and towards her in one fluid, graceful motion.  
  
"You should have learned long ago not to tamper with me," he told her quietly, leaning forward slightly, covering her body with his shadow and being without actually touching her, and pinning her down with his stare. "Give me your hand."   
  
"No," Sarah breathed, squeezing her eyes shut and moving her hands round her back to deny access.  
  
"You know, I have other methods," Jareth whispered, sending icy breath over Sarah's cheeks. He leaned forward, and ran a fingertip over her cheek. She pulled her head away and opened her eyes defiantly, staring at him.   
  
"Foolish, foolish girl," Jareth mumbled, and reached around her to grab her hand. With a flash of unnaturally bright light, the two vanished, and the Wish Flame candle sputtered out, suffocated by an invisible hand...   
  
~~~  
  
A/N: Aaaaaaaaaand We're back. Awwwww, did I leave a cliffhanger? And some disappointed peoples cuz there was no kissing Straight off?   
  
C'mon, did you think I was that easy? ^_^ 


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